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ALL RIGHT. IT IS 6:00.WE WILL CALL THE MAY 2ND AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO ORDER.
WE HAVE THIS IS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO DEAL WITH ONE SUBJECT.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SO THIS IS YOU CAN THINK THIS MEETING IS THERE'S NOTHING ON THE AGENDA TO BE VOTED ON TONIGHT.
THIS IS A WORKSHOP OF SORTS FOCUSING AROUND STUDENT DISCIPLINE AND LATER ON IN MAY.
SO IT'S A GOOD TIMING IN THE SENSE OF IT'S A CHANCE FOR US TO WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS ALL THE WAY FROM WHERE SOMEONE THERE'S AN INFRACTION, DIFFERENT APPEALS ET CETERA ET CETERA.
DECISIONS THAT CAN BE MADE IN THAT PROCESS AND ALONG WITH THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
NOW, LATER, THE TIMING IS GOOD IN THE SENSE THAT LATER ON IN MAY, WE'LL BE HAVING A FIRST READING OF CODE OF CONDUCT, AND WE'VE SEEN MARKED UP COPIES OF THAT PREVIOUSLY BEEN SENT OUT IN ADVANCE.
BUT TONIGHT IS TO WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS FROM FROM START TO FINISH.
WE CAN FORMULATE QUESTIONS, GET ANSWERS, HAVE A COMMON UNDERSTANDING, AND MAYBE HAVE FOLLOW UP, FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE MORE DISCUSSION OR MAYBE EVEN LEGAL ADVICE. AND WHAT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE WON'T HAVE ISSUES WITH, IS THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE INFORMAL.
IF YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION, ASK IT.
ALL RIGHT. HAVING SAID THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR.
MURPHY TO THERE IS A SLIDE DECK TO WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE WILL STOP WHEN WE NEED TO TO DISCUSS AND ASK QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD EVENING, MR. NUESSLE BOARD. MEMBERS MR. LAURENCE. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING US IN TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
SO I HAVE MY TEAM MEMBERS HERE TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK.
AND AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, WE CAN PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION.
AND IF IT COMES TO MIND, LET'S JUST GO AND TRY TO ANSWER IT AS BEST WE CAN TONIGHT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL TURN IT OVER.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. LAURENCE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. GOOD EVENING.
STAKEHOLDER INPUT IS ALWAYS A PRIORITY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
SO A SURVEY WAS CREATED AND EMAILED TO SCHOOLS WITH A TIMELINE SUGGESTED TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION FOR PARENTS, GUARDIANS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. FROM FEBRUARY TO APRIL WE CONTINUED TO GATHER AND REVIEW RESPONSES AND SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
AND ON APRIL THE 10TH, A DRAFT OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT WAS SENT TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR REVIEW.
OUR CODE OF CONDUCT IS DIVIDED INTO THREE LEVELS OF INFRACTIONS.
EXAMPLES OF LEVEL ONE INFRACTIONS INCLUDE TARDIES BUS VIOLATIONS AND DRESS CODE VIOLATIONS.
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CRIMINAL OFFENSES.LEVEL ONE OFFENSES MAY BE RECLASSIFIED AS LEVEL TWO OFFENSES IF THEY'RE REPEATED.
LEVEL THREE INFRACTIONS USUALLY REQUIRE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF A STUDENT FROM SCHOOL, THE INTERVENTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OR ACTIONS BY YOU, THE SCHOOL BOARD.
THE PROVISIONS OF ALL THREE LEVELS.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE FIELD TRIPS, ATHLETIC EVENTS, AND EVEN AT THE BUS STOP.
AGGRAVATING MEASURES ARE THOSE MEASURES THAT CAN INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF AN OFFENSE.
MITIGATING MEASURES LESSEN THE SEVERITY OF AN OFFENSE.
FOR EXAMPLE, FIGHTING IN OUR CODE OF CONDUCT ON THE FIRST OFFENSE IS 1 TO 5 DAYS OF OSS, SUSPENSION.
AN EXAMPLE TWO STUDENTS ARE INVOLVED IN A FIGHT AT A SCHOOL.
STUDENT B USED PROFANITY TOWARDS STAFF MEMBERS.
A FIGHT OCCURRED. YES, A FIGHT OCCURRED.
BUT THERE ARE MITIGATING AND AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
NOT EVERY SITUATION IS THE SAME, WHICH IS WHY OUR ADMINISTRATORS CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS AND ARE ALLOWED THE FLEXIBILITY TO DETERMINE THE CONSEQUENCES. IN THE SITUATION THE EXAMPLE I JUST GAVE.
STUDENT A WHO TRIED TO AVOID A FIGHT MAY RECEIVE 1 TO 4 DAYS.
STUDENT B WHO INITIATED THE FIGHT, USED PROFANITY, REFUSED TO STOP.
THE ADMINISTRATOR HAS DISCRETION TO GIVE THAT STUDENT MORE, 5 TO 10 DAYS.
OUR CODE OF CONDUCT THEREFORE GIVES AN APPROPRIATE RANGE OF DISCRETION FOR OUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS FOR THE APPLICATION OF CONSEQUENCES BASED ON INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENTS AND AFTER INVESTIGATIONS OF EVERY CASE.
WHEN CONSIDERING ALL OFFENSES, STUDENTS MUST BE AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THEIR STORY.
THE RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS MEANS A FAIR PROCEDURES MUST BE FOLLOWED BY A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS BEFORE A STUDENT IS ACCUSED ACCUSED OF VIOLATING A CODE OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT RECEIVES DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS FROM AN ADMINISTRATOR.
[INAUDIBLE] SO THE RIGHT TO APPEAL THE SUSPENSION.
SO OUR POLICY SAYS THAT YOU CAN APPEAL ONE LEVEL ABOVE.
ON THE FIGHTING BUSINESS STUDENT B.
THE PUNISHMENT STAYS AT SUSPENSION LEVEL.
THERE'S NO WAY IT GOES UP THE EXPULSION.
SO IN MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE SEEN EVERY FIGHT THAT I MENTIONED.
EVERY FIGHT IS DIFFERENT. I'VE HAD SOME FIGHTS THAT I THINK BOTH BOTH STUDENTS RECEIVED FIVE DAYS.
AND THOSE SITUATIONS, THOSE AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES, THE STUDENT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION.
SO I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION.
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I'LL SAY THAT. I MEAN, IF A KID KICKED ANOTHER ONE IN THE HEAD AND KNOCKED HIM UNCONSCIOUS, THEN WE'RE TALKING.YES, SIR. YOU COULD RECOMMEND THEM FOR EXPULSION.
I ALWAYS I PROBABLY SAY IT MORE THAN MORE THAN 1000 TIMES.
THERE'S NO PROVISION FOR SELF-DEFENSE IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
NO PROVISION FOR SELF-DEFENSE, LIKE PARENTS WOULD SAY.
WELL, HE FOUGHT BECAUSE HE WAS DEFENDING HIMSELF, BUT THEN HE THREW 25 PUNCHES.
AND AND WE TAKE THOSE THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES INTO CONSIDERATION.
THE ONE PROBLEM I HAVE THROUGHOUT THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS WE LOVE TO LEAVE THINGS TO INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE JUDGMENTS ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE PRINCIPAL TO MAKE JUDGMENTS ABOUT THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
BUT WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY WAY OF ENSURING A CONGRUENCE OR AWAY TO MAKE THIS JUDGMENT MORE UNIFORM.
THE PROBLEM WE USED TO HAVE WITH DISCIPLINE.
AT THE EXPULSION LEVEL WHEN THE AREA COUNCILS WERE THE BODY THAT HEARD THE APPEALS WAS THAT ONE SAME OFFENSE WOULD GET YOU DIFFERENT PUNISHMENTS FROM FROM COUNCIL TO COUNCIL. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS WHY WE WENT TO A HEARING OFFICER.
WELL, ACTUALLY, FIRST WAS A TRIBUNAL AND THEN A HEARING OFFICER.
I FEEL THE SAME THING, THE SAME DANGER WITH PRINCIPALS.
AND THIS IS NOT A DEROGATORY REMARK ABOUT PRINCIPALS.
HOW, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF REQUIRED TRAINING FOR PRINCIPALS ON THIS MATTER? DO WE INSIST THAT THEY COME AND DISCUSS MATTERS OF JUDGMENT SO THAT THE JUDGMENTS WILL BE MORE UNIFORM? I MEAN. YOU KNOW, REACTING TO MR. SMITH'S YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS THEY DON'T FIGHT BACK EXCESSIVELY.
WE WE COULD GIVE THAT A NO NO SUSPENSION.
WHAT'S EXCESSIVE? I MEAN, MY FATHER USED TO TELL ME, YOU KNOW, YOU DO ANYTHING YOU CAN TO DEFEND YOURSELF.
AND WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, IF I GOT PICKED ON AND FOUGHT, I FOUGHT PRETTY HARD BACK.
AND I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN SUSPENDED ON THE DISCIPLINE CODE.
AND I DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M MAKING SENSE OR NOT.
IT'S ABOUT BEING FAIR, IS THAT PRINCIPALS ARE CHARGED WITH MAKING SURE THAT DUE PROCESS TAKES PLACE, BUT ALSO INVESTIGATING AND TAKING ALL OF THOSE SITUATIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES INTO PLAY BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION.
I NEVER TOOK SUSPENDING A STUDENT FOR GRANTED OR TOOK IT LIGHTLY.
I MEAN, BECAUSE I HAD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THAT PARENT.
I HAD TO FIRST I HAD TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THAT STUDENT.
SO I DIDN'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TRAINING DURING THE SUMMER.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE BI LEVEL MEETINGS, BI LEVELS WHERE PRINCIPALS, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE AND TALK ABOUT NOT JUST INSTRUCTION, BUT TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
SO I JUST DIDN'T LIVE IN A BUBBLE.
I TRIED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS SHARING IDEAS AND COMMUNICATING.
BUT IT GOES BACK TO BEING FAIR AND USING THE MATRIX.
THE MATRIX IS THERE FOR ALL SCHOOLS.
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AND IF I'M HEARING A SITUATION AND I'VE REVIEWED THE FACTS OR THE STATEMENTS OR THE WITNESS STATEMENTS, AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION, A PART OF DUE PROCESS IS THE STUDENT IS AFFORDED OPPORTUNITY TO TELL HIS SIDE.AND A LOT OF TIMES STUDENTS WILL SAY OR SAY IT.
MR. WHITE YEAH, I FOUGHT I DID IT, YOU KNOW.
AND SO BUT IT WAS BASED ON FACTS AND IT WAS BASED ON THE SITUATION.
WELL, I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IT'S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR, BUT.
I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE THAT STARTED LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES TO THE EXPULSION PROCESS 14, 15 YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING TO MOVE THE APPEAL PROCESS FROM AREA COUNCILS AND SO FORTH AND DISCUSSING A TRIBUNAL, I SUGGESTED THAT WE THAT OUR MATRIX BECOME A POINT SYSTEM.
WHERE YOU CONSIDER THE NUMBER OF VARIABLES ABOUT TO EVALUATE THE DEGREE OF SERIOUSNESS OF THE CRIME.
I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS IT JUST A PUSH OR WAS IT BLOOD DRAWN OR BROKEN BONE OR MULTIPLE BLOWS? REFUSAL TO STOP WHEN TOLD EACH ONE OF THESE CARRIED A POINT VALUE AND YOU ADDED UP THE POINTS.
AND THE MORE POINTS YOU GOT, THE MORE SERIOUS THE INCIDENT WAS.
AND THEN THAT DICTATED HOW SERIOUS THE OFFENSE WOULD I MEAN, THE PUNISHMENT WOULD BE.
AND OF COURSE, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.
BUT THAT'S SORT OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS NOT NECESSARILY A POINT SYSTEM.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO DO IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MORE OBJECTIVE WAY OF DETERMINING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CRIME AND HAVE THAT ALREADY CORRELATED WITH THE PUNISHMENT.
NOTE TO BRADLEY I'M MAKING A NOTE OF THAT.
MY QUESTION, MR. WHITE AND IT'S JUST BASED ON HEARSAY.
WHAT YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE GUIDANCE AND THE CODE OF CONDUCT WOULD INDICATE AN EXPULSION RECOMMENDATION, IS THERE ANY LATITUDE WHERE PRINCIPALS CAN SEND STUDENTS TO ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT? YES, SIR. SO THAT.
SO THERE IS A PART OF A PART OF THE PROCEDURE WHERE A PRINCIPAL AND A PARENT CAN AGREE FOR A PLACEMENT IN CNI IF IT'S AN EXPULSION OFFENSE.
ARE YOU SAYING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR AND I UNDERSTAND.
OH, I'M SORRY. YEAH, I WAS STILL AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, SO I WAS.
UM, A PARENT AND A AND ADMINISTRATOR CAN AGREE FOR A STUDENT TO BE PLACED IN AN ALTERNATIVE SETTING FOR REPEATED MINOR VIOLATIONS IN THE SCHOOLS CAN PROVE THAT THEY'VE DONE INTERVENTIONS TO HELP THE STUDENT SO THE PARENT AND STUDENT AGREE.
THEY SIGN OFF SAYING THAT THEY AGREE ON PLACEMENT AFTER THEY SIGN OFF ON THAT.
THAT COMES TO THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR THAT LEVEL AS WELL AS MYSELF.
ONCE THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT SIGNS OFF ON IT, THEN I SIGN OFF ON IT.
AND I ALSO INCLUDE THE DRESS CODE FOR THE ALTERNATIVE SETTING AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION.
SO IT DOESN'T SLOW THE PROCESS DOWN.
OKAY. UM, DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. WHITE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE SUSPENSION PROCESS? WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK.
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GOOD EVENING. THIS IS THE SUSPENSION PROCESS.LET'S WALK THROUGH HOW STUDENT IS AFFORDED DUE PROCESS.
A STUDENT COMMITS AN ALLEGED INFRACTION.
THE STUDENT WILL BE ADVISED OF THE ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
IF THE STUDENT ADMITS TO THE INFRACTION, THEN NO FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS REQUIRED.
HOWEVER, IF THE STUDENT DENIES THE INFRACTION, THE ADMINISTRATOR WILL EXPLAIN THE EVIDENCE KNOWN BY THE SCHOOL AUTHORITIES AND PERMIT THE STUDENT A REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE HIS OR HER VERSION OF THE FACTS.
THE ADMINISTRATOR THEN MAY CONDUCT FURTHER INVESTIGATION IF NECESSARY.
A WRITTEN NOTICE MUST BE GIVEN TO THE STUDENT AND THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF THE CONSEQUENCES GIVEN NOTICE TO BE PERSONALLY HANDED, HAND DELIVERED TO THE PARENT EMAIL OR PUT IN THE MAIL TO THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN.
PARENTS AND OR GUARDIANS HAVE A LEVEL APPEAL, LIKE MR. WHITE SAID, FOR A SUSPENSION.
IF AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL GIVES THE SUSPENSION, THEY CAN APPEAL TO THE PRINCIPAL.
IF THE PRINCIPAL GIVES A SUSPENSION, THEY CAN APPEAL TO THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.
RECOMMENDATION FOR AN EXPULSION.
WHEN A STUDENT COMMITS AN EXPENDABLE OFFENSE, THE SAME PROCESS IS FOLLOWED AS WITH THE REGULAR SUSPENSION AFTER THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN AND STUDENT HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE STUDENT WILL BE RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION AND EMAIL IS SENT TO THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR APPROVAL IN ORDER FOR THEM TO PROCEED UPON OF THE APPROVAL BY THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.
THE BUILDING LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR HAS THREE DAYS TO SUBMIT A COMPLETE HEARING PACKET.
INCOMPLETE HEARING PACKETS MAY RESULT IN A DELAY IN SCHEDULING.
THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN WILL BE ADVISED OF THE DATE, THE TIME AND THE LOCATION OF THE HEARING BEFORE THE HEARING OFFICER AT WHICH THE BUILDING LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR, PARENT AND OR GUARDIAN AND STUDENT MUST ATTEND.
HOWEVER, OUR GOAL IS TO HEAR THE CASE WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THE SUSPENSION OF THE STUDENT EVENTS OR OCCURRENCES THAT MAY ALTER THE TIME FRAME OF THE HEARING.
EXPULSION HEARING PROCESS FOR GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
THE BUILDING LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR IS COPIED ON THE EMAIL TO THE PARENT AND OR GUARDIAN.
THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN ALSO RECEIVES A PHONE CALL THE DAY BEFORE THE HEARING.
THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN ALSO RECEIVES THE RESULTS IN THE MAIL.
IF THE RESULTS IS FOR ALTERNATIVE SETTING, THE DECISION IS SENT TO THE CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING AND THE REFERRING SCHOOL'S BUILDING LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR VIA EMAIL. IF THE RESULTS ARE IS EXPULSION, THE NOTIFICATION GOES TO THE REFERRING SCHOOL'S BUILDING LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS VIA EMAIL.
SO CAN WE BACK UP TWO SLIDES, MISS BRAXTON? YEP. RIGHT THERE. AND SO I'M SORRY FOR THE DUMB QUESTIONS, BUT THE.
SO IT'S THE ADMINISTRATOR AT THE SCHOOL THAT'S PREPARING THAT HEARING PACKET.
SOME SCHOOLS HAVE THEIR ADMIN ASSISTANT PREPARE THE PACKETS.
AND IT'S I DON'T NEED A LIST OF WHAT GOES IN IT, BUT IS THERE A GUIDELINE FOR STANDARDIZATION OF WHAT SHOULD BE THAT THE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT GOES IN IT? YES, SIR.
ALL RIGHT. AND WE'RE AND THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION ON THIS SLIDE, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO MRS .
RHINEHART-JACKSON. THE HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED IN 15 DAYS.
AND I KNOW YOU SAID YOU TRY FOR WITHIN 10.
IS YOUR GOAL THE 15 DAYS, WHERE DOES IS THAT A REQUIREMENT LIKE A STATUTE REQUIREMENT OR IS THAT JUST WHAT'S IN OUR PROCEDURES? WHERE'S THE 15 DAYS COME FROM? THAT'S WRITTEN IN OUR CODE OF CONDUCT.
WHY HAVE STUDENTS BEEN OUT OR WHY ARE STUDENTS? FORGIVE ME. I'M A LITTLE TIRED TONIGHT.
THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONS WHERE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN OUT IN OVER 10 TO 15 DAYS.
WHY IS THAT? PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.
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IT COULD BE A DELAY IN THE TURNING IN OF THE THE PACKETS FOR THE SCHEDULING.A DELAY OR A DELAY IN US GETTING THE PACKET, KNOWING TO SCHEDULE THE HEARING.
THAT COULD HAPPEN, BUT IT'S VERY RARE.
OR OTHER POSSIBLE LIKE THE PARENTS SAYING THEY WANT TO BRING COUNSEL.
SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE SCHEDULE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE COUNSEL PRESENT FOR THE HEARING.
IF THE PARENT ASKS TO RESCHEDULE, THAT MAY BE A DELAY.
SO THAT WOULD BE A DELAY IN THE TIME FRAME.
WOULD THAT MAKE SENSE? IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME.
AND HOLIDAYS DON'T ITS SCHOOL DAYS.
YES. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN ASK THIS WITHOUT WHAT CAN I SAY THIS? IF WE RECEIVE AND THIS HAPPENED, IF WE RECEIVE A PACKET AND WE SEE THAT THE SUSPENSION DAYS ARE ABOUT UP, OKAY, WE GET ON THE PHONE, WE ASK THE PARENT, CAN YOU COME IN? WE NOTICE SOMETIME THE PARENTS WILL SAY, NO, THEY CAN'T.
SO WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THEM IN BEFORE THOSE SUSPENSION DAYS ARE UP.
NOW, WE DO HAVE SOME OUTLIERS.
BUT BY ALL MEANS WE DO TRY TO GET THEM IN.
OKAY, GO AHEAD. MR. SMITH AND THEN MR. SILAS. AND THEN I THINK DR.
BACK IN MY DAY A LONG TIME AGO.
OR SIGN UP FOR AN EXPULSION HEARING BACK IN THAT DAY, THEY WENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL.
THEY WERE SUSPENDED FOR 10 DAYS, RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION.
NOW, WHEN THEY WENT BEFORE THEIR COUNCIL, THEIR COUNCIL MAY HAVE PUT THEM OUT.
BUT A LOT OF TIME DEREK CANSLER WOULD PUT HIM BACK IN ON STRICT PROBATION.
IS ANY OF THAT STILL BEING DONE? YES, SIR. THEY STILL THEY CAN GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS THAT GO BACK.
WE DO HAVE SOME EXTREME CASES WHERE WE OFFER ACCESS TO THEIR ASSIGNMENTS ONLINE AND THE TEACHERS ARE MADE AVAILABLE DURING THEIR PLANNING TO HELP THE STUDENT IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN REFERENCE TO THE ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE ONLINE.
OKAY. BECAUSE LIKE MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON SAID, WE'VE SEEN SOME BEEN OUT OF CLASS DAYS, 20 SOMETHING DAYS.
I DON'T MEAN TO BE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SYSTEM.
MY OTHER QUESTION I WANT TO ASK IS THIS.
WHEN THEY COME TO YOU AND I KNOW I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
AND I PROMISE YOU, I'M ONE OF YOUR BEST DEFENDERS.
DO YOU FEEL? THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT TO. ARE YOU ALLOWED TO RETURN THEM TO SCHOOL UNDER STRICT PROBATION? YES. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE OPTIONS.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH SOME OF THESE CASES, OR HAVE YOU? WELL, I PULLED THAT TODAY, AND SO MAYBE 50 PLUS HAVE RETURNED BACK ON STRICT PROBATION THIS YEAR.
OKAY. BUT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IN DOING THAT? BEING ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
YES, SIR. AND I'M GOING TO HIT YOU UP WITH ANOTHER ONE LATER.
BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW.
OKAY. MR. SILAS. IF I'M WRONG, JUST TELL ME I'M WRONG.
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WE'RE FRIENDS, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HURT MY FEELINGS.I BELIEVE THAT THE PROCESS OR MAYBE DIRECTION WAS CHANGED RECENTLY, WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, I DON'T KNOW TIME FRAME, WHEREBY PRINCIPALS WERE DIRECTED TO IF IT WAS AN EXPULSION OFFENSE TO AUTOMATICALLY PUT IT UP FOR AN EXPULSION, EVEN THOUGH BEFORE THIS CHANGE THEY WOULD HAVE HANDLED IT DIFFERENTLY ALTERNATIVE DIRECT ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOME DIRECTION.
WAS IT OR WAS IT NOT SOME DIRECTION THAT, HEY, BECAUSE OF THIS DUE PROCESS MAGIC.
WE WANT YOU TO RECOMMEND EXPULSION SO IT WILL COME BEFORE THE HEARING OFFICER.
I WOULD. I WAS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN THAT THAT CHANGE.
AND BASICALLY WHAT IT BOILED DOWN TO IS DUE PROCESS.
SO SO BY LAW, WE HAVE TO AFFORD THE STUDENT DUE PROCESS.
AND OUR DIRECT PLACEMENT DID NOT STAND UP TO THAT TEST.
AND SO WE HAD TO GO TO EITHER A PARENTAL AGREED TRANSFER DIRECTLY TO SEAL OR WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE HEARING PROCESS, WHICH IS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR EXPULSION IS REALLY A RECOMMENDATION FOR A DISTRICT LEVEL HEARING, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH AND MAKE SURE DUE PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED AND THEN RENDER A DECISION.
BUT WE COULD NOT ARBITRARILY SEND STUDENTS DIRECTLY TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL LEGALLY.
SO THE REASON THE MAIN REASON I ASKED THAT WAS IT SEEMED LIKE CONSIDERING THIS TIME FRAME, THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE EXCEEDING OR GETTING CLOSE TO, I WAS THINKING THAT MAY HAVE OVERLOADED MISS BRAXTON OR INCREASED HER WORKLOAD BECAUSE OF THIS CHANGE.
WHERE IN OTHER WORDS, WE WE CREATED A PROBLEM FOR OURSELVES WHILE SOLVING ANOTHER ONE.
RIGHT. AND I WONDER IF IF THAT DUE PROCESS CAN BE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, CAN THAT DUE PROCESS BE HANDLED BY THE PRINCIPAL? RIGHT. SO I WAS GOING TO GO BACK TO ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT AT SOME POINT IN TIME IN CONVERSATIONS.
WHAT IF WHAT IF THERE'S NOT AN AGREEMENT? I MEAN, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, A DECISION HAS GOT TO BE MADE I KNOW ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT IS THE CONSEQUENCE.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING, WHETHER WE AGREE OR NOT.
BUT CAN THAT CAN WE SATISFY THE DUE PROCESS, LEGAL REQUIREMENT AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL BY A PRINCIPAL VERSUS THE HEARING OFFICER AND CREATING AN OVERLOADED SITUATION? QUITE SIMPLY, THE ANSWER IS NO.
IT HAS TO BE A DISTRICT LEVEL HEARING.
SO THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT IS HAS TO BE A DISTRICT LEVEL HEARING? YES, SIR. YES, SIR.
WE CANNOT DETERMINE THAT STUDENT'S PLACEMENT AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT.
WE HAD WE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED IT WITH BARBARA DRAYTON AT LENGTH.
THAT'S THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S ATTORNEY.
SHE SAID, QUOTE, WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION AND SAID, YES, MA'AM.
AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR BEFORE WE WENT DOWN THIS ROAD.
[INAUDIBLE] DUE PROCESS STARTS AT SCHOOL.
YES, SIR. DUE PROCESS STARTS AS SOON AS THAT DISCIPLINE, RECORD OR DISCIPLINE OFFENCE IS TURNED INTO THE ADMINISTRATION AND DUE PROCESS IS GIVEN THERE THROUGH TO A DETERMINED SUSPENSION, EXPULSION, OR PROBATION . AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL IT DETERMINES SUSPENSION OR IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION.
OKAY. BUT IT ALSO CAN DETERMINE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL ON STRICT PROBATION.
THAT CAN BE PART OF THE DUE PROCESS.
GOING BACK AFTER A SUSPENSION OR? IF THEY COME BEFORE, IF THEY COME BEFORE THE PRINCIPAL AND THEY'VE HAD A SUSPENDABLE OFFENSE DUE PROCESS GIVEN TO THEM BEFORE THEY CAN BE ASSIGNED TO EITHER SUSPENSION, IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION OR STRICT PROBATION.
I TOO, I'M GOING TO INTERJECT THIS RIGHT HERE REAL QUICK, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MR. CHAIRMAN. I, TOO, FEEL LIKE IT'S GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OUT OF HAND AND IT'S OVERWHELMING FOR LATRELL AND THE FOLKS DOING IT.
AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAVE THEY DONE? DOES IT? THERE'S SOME THINGS COMING THAT I FEEL LIKE COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED AT THE SCHOOL A LITTLE BIT MORE WITHOUT GOING FOR EXPULSION.
AND IT'S BECOME ALMOST A AUTOMATIC IF THERE'S A SEVERE FIGHT TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION AND
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I WAS AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR A LONG TIME.I'VE SEEN A LOT OF KNOCK DOWN AND DRAG OUTS IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT ALL OF THEM, EVEN THOUGH A LITTLE BIT OF BLOOD MAY HAVE BEEN THERE, WEREN'T WHAT I FELT WAS RECOMMENDATION FOR EXPULSION.
YOU KNOW, NORMALLY YOU CAN DEAL WITH THEM RIGHT THERE OR PUT THEM IN IN SCHOOL OR OUT OF SCHOOL.
AND IN SOME CASES, PROBABLY MOST CASES IT'S WARRANTED.
BUT THAT'S A THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS ME.
I'M JUST GOING TO THROW THAT OUT.
WELL, AS A RESPONSE TO THAT, I WILL SAY THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR HERE.
SO I'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS A COUPLE OF TIMES AND EACH YEAR IT IS THE INPUT THAT WE GET AND WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING FROM THIS BOARD HAS BEEN THAT THE CONSEQUENCES HAVE BEEN TOO LENIENT. AND AND WHAT I'M HEARING IN PRINCIPALS ARE LISTENING TO THESE MEETINGS, THEY ARE TAKING THAT TENOR AS WELL.
OKAY. I WANT TO I WANT TO QUALIFY THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT SAYING WE DID NEED TO GO IN FULL STRICT DIRECTION, BUT I STILL THINK THAT THERE'S A LITTLE FINITE LINE IN THERE THAT MAY BE EASIER FOR SOME TO RECOGNIZE AND GO INTO IT AND DELVE AND TRY TO SEE WHAT'S BEST FOR THE SITUATION.
YOU KNOW, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW DISCIPLINE IS ABOUT TEACHING.
AND IF YOU ARE SENDING A CHILD RECOMMENDING THEM FOR SUSPENSION.
YOU WANT THEM EXPELLED? WHICH ONE ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A TEACHING MOMENT OR ARE YOU LOOKING FOR PUNISHING THE CHILD JUST TO MAKE A POINT. THAT'S NOT THE TERM I'M LOOKING FOR, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING I ALWAYS WEIGHED.
YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? IS THIS ABOUT TEACHING THE STUDENT OR IS THIS ABOUT MAKING IT PERSONAL TO THE TEACHER OR THE PRINCIPAL? AND ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK AT THAT IN ALL ASPECTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WAS BEING DONE.
I TRIED TO ALWAYS DO WHAT WAS BEST FOR THE CHILD AND I'M NOT SO SURE WHERE WE'RE GOING IN THIS DIRECTION BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE MAY HAVE SOMETHING SAID TO US IF WE DON'T, IF WE HAVE IN OUR HEART, THIS STUDENT DOESN'T REALLY NEED TO GO FOR EXPULSION.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I FEEL LIKE I GOT TO DO.
AND I GUESS THE BOTTOM LINE IS I WANT TO SEE A LITTLE MORE AUTONOMY BACK TO THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
BRADLEY SAID EARLIER, IT HAS TO BE CONSISTENT THROUGH THE DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
THAT'S OVERALL THAT'S MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH DISCIPLINE RIGHT NOW IN WHAT'S GOING ON.
YES. AND JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT VERY, VERY BRIEFLY, AUTONOMY AND CONSISTENCY, THEY'RE GOING TO KIND OF BE AT ODDS BECAUSE, AGAIN, EACH SITUATION WILL HAVE TO BE JUDGED UNIQUELY. AND SO WE WON'T HAVE THE CONSISTENCY IF GIVEN IF THE PRINCIPALS FEEL THAT THEY HAVE THAT AUTONOMY AND THAT DISCRETION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK A HORSE AND RIDE IT EVENTUALLY.
SO, DR. BRADLEY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.
BEFORE I GO THERE, I WANT TO OFFER YOU THE FLIP SIDE OF THE COIN FROM MR SMITH.
I THINK FIGHTING NEEDS TO BE VERY SERIOUS OFFENSE AND I THINK WE NEED TO PUT ANOTHER VARIABLE IN IT.
AND WE WE YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY IF IT'S A FAIRLY SERIOUS FIGHT, WE PUT THEM BACK IN SCHOOL.
I THINK THAT IF THERE'S GOING TO BE LENIENCY.
IT NEEDS TO BE BEFORE AN APPELLATE BODY, NOT BY AN INDIVIDUAL.
THE PRINCIPAL DID NOT HAVE THE DISCRETION TO OVERRIDE AN EXPULSION.
HE WAS REQUIRED TO SEND THAT CHILD THROUGH THE EXPULSION PROCESS, AND THE COUNCIL AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MADE THE OVERRIDES. YOU KNOW, NOBODY COULD GET TO AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL WITHOUT GOING THROUGH AN AREA COUNCIL OR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S A MESS.
WHICH LEADS ME INTO SOMETHING ELSE.
THIS HEARING IS SCHEDULED WITHIN 15 DAYS.
I THINK THAT OUGHT TO BE A LAW.
NO EXCEPTIONS. IF WE HAVE TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, WE HIRE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
[00:45:05]
WELL. WE'VE GOT TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT THROWING STONES AT Y'ALL.
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD. BUT IF MISS BRAXTON CAN'T GET TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING SENT HER WAY, WE NEED TO HIRE ANOTHER HEARING OFFICER. UM.
IF PEOPLE DON'T GET THEIR PACKETS IN IN TIME.
LET'S TALK TO THE PERSON WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT GETTING IT IN ON TIME.
I MEAN, THAT'S A THAT'S A CHECK MARK IN THE BAD COLUMN.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST NO, IT'S THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR FILLING OUT PAPER ON TIME.
I MEAN, YOU CAN FILL OUT THE PAPER.
AND BASICALLY THAT'S ALL IT IS, IS GETTING TOGETHER A PACKET.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FBI HERE.
I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT TAKES MORE THAN 15 DAYS.
UM. I EVEN HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT.
I GUESS WE HAVE TO ALLOW PARENTS TO REQUEST EXTENSIONS OR WHATEVER.
BUT CERTAINLY I DON'T THINK THE SCHOOLS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING LONGER THAN 15 DAYS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT 15 DAYS FROM THE INFRACTION, RIGHT.
WE'VE SEEN KIDS THAT WENT 40 DAYS THIS YEAR, 40 DAYS FROM THE OFFENCE TO HEARING BEFORE US.
BUT BUT BUT IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SIT THERE.
AND LOOK A PARENT IN THE EYE AND DEFEND WHY IT TOOK 25 DAYS OR 20 DAYS OR WHATEVER.
IF IT'S AN EXPULSION OFFENSE, IT SHOULD START FROM THE DAY THE OFFENSE OCCURRED.
RIGHT. AND I MEAN, I DID I WAS AN AREA SUPERINTENDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THIS.
AND IT HAPPENED ACCORDING TO POLICY BECAUSE I HAD A BOSS THAT WOULD KICK MY FANNY IF IT DIDN'T.
BUT ANYWAY, AS TO THE AS TO THE HEARING PACKETS.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM STANDARDIZED A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM EACH PAGE COME IN A PROPER ORDER SO THAT I KNOW THE FIRST PAGE IS GOING TO BE BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE OFFENSE IS RIGHT UP FRONT REAL QUICK.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER PAGES OUGHT TO BE PRETTY YOUNG.
YOU KNOW, HALF OF IT IS USELESS TO ME BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE IT.
I MEAN, WE GET THIS COMPUTER PRINTOUT WITH TYPE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FIVE ON A SCALE OF FONT SCALE. AND I'M AN OLD MAN.
I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN MY [INAUDIBLE] HERE, I CAN'T SEE THAT GOOD.
SO I'VE GIVEN UP EVEN TRYING TO READ A LOT OF THAT STUFF.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, BUT.
THAT'S SOMETHING I WISH YOU'D LOOK AT.
IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO MAGNIFY THAT THING OR MAKE IT MORE READABLE.
I'D APPRECIATE IT. WELL, THIS YEAR WE HAVE ADOPTED A NEW SYSTEM, EDUCATOR HANDBOOK.
SO THE [INAUDIBLE] FORM WAS ACTUALLY LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT MOVING FORWARD AFTER NEXT YEAR.
AND IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ORDER OF THE CHECKLIST, WE'D BE HAPPY TO TO ENTERTAIN ANY KIND IT'S JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'M STUMBLING AROUND, FUMBLING THROUGH PAGES WHEN I'M TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN OTHER THAN LEARNING WHAT THE OFFENSE THAT I'M HEARING ABOUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT THE ORDER IS AFTER THAT.
I MEAN, I DO THINK THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATEMENT OUGHT TO BE UP FRONT.
AND I WOULDN'T CARE IF THE LETTERS ADVISING THE PARENTS OF THE HEARINGS AND ALL THAT COME AFTER THAT.
I MEAN, YOU CAN DO THAT BY REVIEWING IT BEFOREHAND, WHICH WHICH WE DO.
[00:50:06]
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE AFTER THAT.BECAUSE WE GET ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF INVESTIGATIONS.
WE GET PACKETS THAT HAVE STATEMENTS FROM PARENTS, I MEAN, FROM WITNESSES.
UM, WE GET INTO HEARINGS AND WE HEAR ABOUT VIDEOTAPES, WHICH NONE OF US HAVE SEEN.
WE HEAR THAT THE POLICE ARE TALKING TO THE PARENT SAYING THINGS ABOUT THE DEGREE OF SERIOUSNESS THE DEFENSE IS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND IT SORT OF PUTS US IN A HOLE.
BUT YET WE HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME STANDARDIZATION ABOUT WHO SEES VIDEOTAPES.
AND WHO HAS ACCESS TO THEM AND WHO DOESN'T.
AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE NAMES.
PROBABLY NOT THE TIME TO TRY TO GET THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE OUT.
SO ONE ONE THING YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT POLITICAL BODY AND THE BOARD IS A POLITICAL BODY.
NONE OF US LIKE TO GET CAUGHT WITH EGG ON OUR FACE, YOU KNOW, AND WE GET PUT IN THAT POSITION AN AWFUL LOT BY THE ADMINISTRATION. AND I THINK IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.
I MEAN, WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT JOB.
WE DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF A KID'S LIFE.
SITTING THERE LISTENING TO WHAT WE HEAR BY THE ADMINISTRATION, WHAT COMES TO US.
AND I WANT IT TO BE AS ACCURATE AND AS CLEAR AND IT'S FAIR AS IT POSSIBLY CAN.
AND I WANT IT DONE IN A VERY TIMELY FASHION BECAUSE I DON'T WANT KIDS EXPELLED AS A SIDE EFFECT [INAUDIBLE] YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY ARE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IT'S GOTTEN WORSE WITH BLOCK SCHEDULING BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO MISS MORE AND MORE WORK.
THE LONGER THEY'RE OUT, THE MORE WORK THEY MISS AND THE HARDER IT'S GOING TO BE TO MAKE THAT UP.
I MEAN, FORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW.
BUT [INAUDIBLE] WHO'S NOT IT REALLY.
IS UNFAIR I THINK TO THAT CHILD.
I'LL SHUT UP FOR NOW. I'LL COME BACK LATER.
AND I WAS ASKING IF THERE IS A WAY TO STREAMLINE THE HEARING PACKET.
THAT WAY WE'RE NOT THE CAUSE OF A HEARING BEING DELAYED.
YOU NOTED AS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THERE COULD BE A DELAY IN SCHEDULING, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD STREAMLINE THAT PACKET SO THAT THAT IS NOT A FACTOR IN A DELAYED HEARING.
SO THE CHECKLIST IS BASICALLY A CHECKLIST TO ENSURE THAT DUE PROCESS HAS BEEN FOLLOWED.
WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, HE MENTIONED VIDEO.
SO TYPICALLY, IF WE DON'T USE VIDEO, WE DON'T ALSO ACCEPT VIDEO AT A HEARING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT VIDEO OURSELVES TO SAY, WHO IS THIS VIDEO? WHEN IS THIS VIDEO? WHEN WAS THIS VIDEO MADE? SO WE CAN'T AUTHENTICATE A VIDEO IN REAL TIME.
SO YOU CAN PREPARE FOR THIS HEARING.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THE PACKET IS.
IT'S IT'S A WAY TO TO TO ORDER THE ARGUMENT OR THE CASE THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE.
AND SO THE PARENT CAN GO THROUGH AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, THIS IS WHAT THEY'VE BEEN SAID.
THIS IS THE EVIDENCE THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED.
ALL RIGHT, FINE. HOW BIG WAS A KNIFE?
[00:55:01]
IT'S NOT IN THE CHECKLIST.SO WE HAD ALL THOSE OTHER LITTLE ISSUES THAT WERE COMING UP.
SO THIS WAS OUR ATTEMPT AT STANDARDIZATION BY BASICALLY BREAKING APART THE DUE PROCESS INTO STEPS OF A CHECKLIST AND THEN MAKING SURE THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION WERE LOOKING AT THESE EVERY SINGLE TIME.
CONSISTENCY. NOW, CONSISTENTLY NOW, IS IT IS IT BEING DONE CONSISTENTLY? YEAH. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY IS THERE NOW AND SHE GOES THROUGH THE PACKETS AND SHE CAN TELL ME, HEY, WE'RE STILL HAVING ISSUES.
AND WHEN WE DO HAVE PERSISTENT ISSUES, WE ADDRESS IT BY SCHOOL.
WE DON'T WE WON'T SEND OUT A BLANKET, YOU KNOW, CARPET BOMB.
WE'LL SAY, HEY, WE'RE NOTICING X, Y, Z IS HAPPENING.
YOU GUYS HAVE TO REALLY TIGHTEN UP ON THIS PACK AND HERE'S WHY.
AND SO HOPEFULLY IT WILL SHORTEN THAT TIME.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF HEARINGS WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR, I WILL SAY SHE'S DONE AN ADMIRABLE, ADMIRABLE JOB OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, BUT I WILL NOT DECLINE MORE PEOPLE.
AND THEY KNOW HOW WIDESPREAD THE INTEREST IS.
BUT AGAIN, IF IT'S A PROBLEM, I'M ALL FOR IT.
BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT I'VE WRITTEN DOWN IN RECENT DISCUSSION, BUT DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE WAS MAKING SURE THAT THE BOARD CONSIDERS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS HOW QUICKLY WE TURN THAT AROUND.
WHAT IS OUR THROUGHPUT, HOW MUCH RESOURCES DO WE NEED? AND WE WILL TAKE THAT BACK AS AN AGENDA ITEM AT SOME POINT.
AND WE'RE GOING DOWN THE DAIS.
HANKS, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A WORKSHOP ABOUT DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES AND CONDUCT, BUT I WOULD BE REMISS AS A BOARD MEMBER IF I DID NOT SAY AND POLITELY REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATING KIDS, AND I FEEL THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF ASSISTING STUDENTS IN THE APPEAL PROCESS WITH ASSIGNMENTS AND GETTING WORK COMPLETED WHILE THEY ARE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR 15, 10, 20 DAYS.
BECAUSE WITH THAT BLOCK OF TIME, THEY ARE GETTING BEHIND IN ASSIGNMENTS AND THEIR GRADES ARE STEADILY DECLINING, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO SEAL AND THEY'RE STILL HAVING TO CATCH UP.
AND BY THE TIME THEY FINISH SEAL, GET BACK TO SCHOOL, THEY'RE STILL PLAYING CATCH UP.
IN A DUE PROCESS PROCESS TO KIND OF TRY TO KEEP THEM ON TRACK OF SCHOOL, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY, AT SOME POINT, THE POINT OF ALL OF THIS IS TO GET THEM BACK TO SCHOOL. SO THAT'S MY LITTLE TWO CENTS.
MR. SMITH DID YOU STILL HAVE SOMETHING? YES. OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO GO BACK.
YOU AND I BOTH ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.
IF IT'S VIOLENCE, THEY NEED TO GO THAT'S WHERE I AM, I'M LOOKING TO TRY AND KEEP AS MANY KIDS IN SCHOOL THAT NEED EDUCATING, THAT WANT EDUCATION.
AND IF THEY ARE NOT SHOWING THEY WANT EDUCATION, THEN LET'S DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
BACK WHEN WHEN YOU AND I WERE IN THE BUSINESS.
PRINCIPAL MADE THE DECISION AS TO WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO GET THREE ONE, THREE, FIVE, TEN.
THEY WANTED TO TAKE ONE FOR EXPULSION.
YOU HAD TO CALL THE AIR SUPERINTENDENT, EXPLAIN YOUR CASE AND GET APPROVAL.
I WANT SAFETY BEING PARAMOUNT FOR ALL INVOLVED IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I AM LOOKING IF ANY WAY THAT WE CAN LOOK.
AND I CHOSE FIGHTING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS MY TOPIC.
FOR REFERENCE, WE CAN KEEP A LITTLE BIT MORE AT THE SCHOOL TO KEEP A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE PROCESS TRYING TO GET SO WE DON'T GET INTO THE CASES WHERE IT'S BEEN 22.
I'M NOT SURE, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK AT A WAY TO TAKE SOME OF THE LOAD OFF OF [INAUDIBLE].
THAT'S WHAT MY MOTIVE SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS, PARAMOUNT TO ME .
DR. HANKS. I SORT OF WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PRINCIPAL OR THE ADMINISTRATORS
[01:00:02]
AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS.I WOULD LIKE YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, TO ADD TO THAT LIST THAT THE BOARD, I THINK, NEEDS TO RECONSIDER WHAT WE HAVE PUT OUT THERE, WHICH WAS PRETTY MUCH SLAM THE HAMMER ON EVERYTHING.
WE MADE A STERN VOCAL CHOICE THAT WE WANTED OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO BE AS TOUGH AS POSSIBLE NOW THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT.
WE HAVE A HECK OF A LOT MORE CASES, MORE EXPULSIONS TO HEAR, MORE HEARINGS TO SIT THROUGH.
MURPHY SAID EARLIER, WE CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.
IF WE WANT OUR PRINCIPALS TO HAVE SOME FORM OF SUBJECTIVITY IN GETTING TO DECIDE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON A PER CASE BASIS, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CHANGE A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE SAID AND RULES THAT WE HAVE CHANGED IN THE CODE.
IT'S EITHER WE'RE GOING TO STRICTLY GO BY WHAT WE PUT IN WRITING OR WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM SOME SENSE OF YOU GET TO HAVE SOME SAY SO AND SOME DECISION IN THE MATTER.
SO BOARD SORT OF RECONSIDERING HOW THEY ARE WANTING TO PROPOSE THIS, BECAUSE I THINK OUR ADMINISTRATORS HEAR US LOUD AND CLEAR AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO NOT SEVERELY PUNISH SOMEONE WHO COMES BEFORE THEM BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO HAPPEN.
YES, MA'AM. UM, AND THE ONE THING I WILL INVITE THE BOARD TO DO, OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT IS WHEN WE HAD THE FIRST READING OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT. WE CERTAINLY HAVE.
RIGHT. OR I'M NOT INDICATING MY PREFERENCE, BUT TAKE A LOOK.
YEAH, IF THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS, BUT I'VE GOT THAT DOWN AS A MAYBE A LONGER TERM FOLLOW UP AS WELL.
MR. SILAS. I GUESS WE'LL LET YOU FINISH YOUR SLIDE SOON, MISS BRAXTON, BUT THE FLOODGATES ARE OPEN.
RIGHT? SO BACK TO THE PROCESS.
A COUPLE OF PROCESS QUESTIONS.
DOES THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS PROCESS IN TERMS OF DECIDING WHAT COMES TO YOU? WHAT COMES TO THE HEARING OFFICER? WHAT DOESN'T? THEY DO GO THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS THERE AND SOMETIMES THEY DO SEND IT BACK TO THE PRINCIPAL.
WHAT'S THAT MEAN? EVERYTHING IS THERE.
SO SO THAT COULD BE A STOPPING POINT OR THAT COULD BE A WHOLE POINT, RIGHT? SO EVERYONE, BEFORE IT COMES TO THE HEARING OFFICER, IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT AT WHATEVER LEVEL? YES, SIR. THEN THAT COULD BE A WHOLE POINT.
IF THEY EITHER DISAGREE WITH THE DECISION OR IT'S AN INCOMPLETE PACKET.
YES, SIR. THEY MAY TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE MISSING SOMETHING.
THEY NEED TO ADD IT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STREAMLINING, I DON'T KNOW HOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT VALUE WE GET OUT OF THAT.
MAYBE WE GET A LOT OF VALUE OUT OF THAT.
I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T OR IT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
I JUST I'M ASKING ABOUT THE PROCESS.
QUALITY CONTROL, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD AN INCIDENCE WHERE THEY WERE SAYING THE STUDENTS WERE LIKE A SEXUAL MISCONDUCT IN THE BATHROOM STALL.
WELL, THE STUDENT SAID THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT IT HAPPENED? SO IT COULD BE A LITTLE CHECKPOINT, RIGHT, TO MAYBE KEEP SOMETHING FROM COMING TO YOU THAT REALLY DOESN'T NEED TO BE OR SHOULDN'T FROM A WORKLOAD STANDPOINT? OKAY, FINE WITH THAT.
JUST WANTED TO KNOW THEIR ROLE.
DO YOU ALWAYS REVIEW VIDEO WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE? DO YOU NOT? WHAT? WHEN DO YOU DECIDE TO OR NOT TO? AND THEN I GUESS WE GOT TWO TYPES OF VIDEO.
SO TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VIDEO AND WHEN IT'S USED.
I WILL VIEW VIDEO IF IT'S PRESENTED.
IF THE PARENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE VIDEO AS WELL.
EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO SEE THE VIDEO.
AND SOMETIMES PARENTS WILL BRING IN THEIR OWN.
AND BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE EVIDENCE, I WILL VIEW IT THEN.
DURING THE HEARING. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS IF VIDEO EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE, YOU USE IT.
[01:05:04]
YES. IF WE HAD A YES, WE HAVE TO AUTHENTICATE IT.I KNOW. AUTHENTICATE. BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PROCESS.
WELL, WHAT I WAS EXPLAINING TO HER EARLIER.
SO LET'S SAY IF A PARENT WE'RE AT A HEARING, A PARENT SAYS, I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE FIGHT.
AND THEN YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO GIRLS.
AND ON THE PHONE IS A FIGHT BETWEEN TWO BOYS.
MAN, THIS IS A VIDEO OF A FIGHT.
THIS IS NOT THE FIGHT THAT TOOK PLACE, MAN.
THIS IS A VIDEO THAT TOOK OF A FIGHT THAT TOOK PLACE ON MONDAY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIGHT THAT HAPPENED ON TUESDAY.
GOTCHA. MAN, THIS IS THE VIDEO BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS OF THE EXACT SAME INCIDENT BEFORE WE CAN SAY, OH, HE CLEARLY DID NOT FIGHT BECAUSE IT COULD BE THE FIRST PART OF A FIGHT WHEN HE'S IN TROUBLE FOR THE SECOND PART OF A FIGHT.
AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, BECAUSE THEN THAT ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL THAT WAS THERE AND THOSE WITNESSES, THEY MAY THEY MAY SAY, WELL, NOPE, NOPE, NOPE, THIS IS ON A WING.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GYM.
WE SAY, HEY, HEY, MOM, YOU CAN VIEW IT.
LET ME SAY THAT. COME AND VIEW THE VIDEO.
TAKE A LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THIS IS A PART OF THE EVIDENCE.
AND THAT'S THE THAT'S THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION I HAD.
IF ADMINISTERED AND I'M NOT SHOWING MY BIAS, IT'S JUST A QUESTION.
IF ADMINISTRATORS IN THE SCHOOL ARE USING SCHOOL VIDEO TO IN ORDER TO MAKE A WRITTEN STATEMENT ABOUT THE EVENT, BUT THEN THEY DON'T SUPPLY THE VIDEO, PARENTS DON'T LOOK AT IT, WHATEVER, THAT'S NOT PULLED INTO THE HEARING.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING IF THEY USE IT HASN'T.
OKAY. YEAH. IF THEY USE THE VIDEO TO MAKE THEIR STATEMENT, THEY'RE UTILIZING A VIDEO.
RIGHT. SO WHAT I'M SAYING, WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF YOU HAVE WITNESS STATEMENTS, IF YOU HAVE TEACHER STATEMENTS, YOU HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECT VIEW STATEMENTS, YOU DON'T NEED THE VIDEO. SOMETIME THE VIDEO IS TOO GRAINY.
SOMETIMES THE VIDEO IS TOO FAR AWAY.
AND SO A LOT OF PARENTS WILL GET TO THE POINT WHERE IF IT'S NOT ON VIDEO, IT NEVER HAPPENED.
SO THAT MEANS WE WILL NEVER, EVER HAVE AN EXPULSION HEARING FOR A FIGHT IN THE BATHROOM.
BUT LET'S SAY THE ADMINISTRATORS STATEMENT ABOUT THE EVENT REFERENCES THE VIDEO.
OKAY. WILL THAT VIDEO AUTOMATICALLY BE REVIEWED IN THE HEARING? IT SHOULD BE.
OKAY. PROBLEM? I GOT MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON WAS FIRST.
I THINK I GOT TWO QUESTIONS RIGHT.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS MISS BRAXTON, DURING A HEARING PROCESS, IF A PARENT OR STUDENT REQUESTS FOR YOU TO VIEW A VIDEO THAT THEY HAVE.
DO YOU DO YOU LOOK AT IT OR YOU DON'T? I HAVE LOOKED AT VIDEOS.
SO I WOULD HAVE THAT TO SUPPLY.
OKAY. WELL, THAT LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION OR STATEMENT.
IF YOU CHOOSE OR YOU VIEW THAT VIDEO, THEN AT THAT POINT IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET THAT WE GET SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE VIDEO AS WELL. YES.
WELL, NOT TO THROW YOU UNDER THE BUS A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR NO OTHER BOARD MEMBER.
I HAVEN'T VIEWED A LOT OF VIDEOS.
DR. BRADLEY, I WAS GOING TO SAY, MY QUESTION WAS MRS. REINHART'S QUESTION.
I'VE NEVER GOTTEN A VIDEO, NOT NOT IN THE TIME I'VE BEEN ON BOARD.
A LOT OF TIMES I DON'T GET THE VOICE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY AUDIOS I'VE HAD TO CALL KIM ABOUT AND HAVE HER TRACKED DOWN AND GET IT SENT TO ME SOMEHOW. SO I MEAN THAT.
THAT'S A VERY CLUMSY SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, BUT I DON'T REALLY RECALL EVER RECEIVING A VIDEO.
BUT IF I'M LIKE MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, IF.
IT'S GOING TO BE USED IN MAKING DETERMINATIONS AT THE HEARING LEVEL.
THEN I THINK I NEED TO SEE IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK ALL THE EVIDENCE THAT YOU USE IN MAKING DETERMINATIONS I NEED TO SEE.
[01:10:01]
I DON'T NEED TO SEE ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN.BUT ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE SEEN, I DO NEED TO SEE.
DR. HANKS. THIS IS JUST A QUICK COMMENT IN TALKING ABOUT THE APPEALS PACKET THAT WE RECEIVED.
I'VE ASKED BEFORE AND IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER IF WE CAN GET THE ORIGINAL IBR ALWAYS THIS JUST SORT OF REFRESHES MY MEMORY OF THE INCIDENT AS A PART OF THE PACKET AND I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT FOR A WHILE WHY I CANNOT READ SOME STUDENT STATEMENTS.
IF WE COULD ASK THAT THEY ALL WRITE THOSE STATEMENTS IN PEN.
THAT MAY HELP WHEN YOU ARE PHOTOCOPYING ALL OF THOSE MATERIALS TO GET THEM TO US, BECAUSE I THINK THE ONES THAT WE CANNOT READ MAY HAVE BEEN WRITTEN IN PENCIL AND IT'S NOT LEGIBLE AT ALL.
MIGHT NEED A TRANSLATION OF SOME OF THEM.
THE EXPULSION HEARING PROCESS FOR STUDENT.
I'M SORRY. THE EXPULSION HEARING PROCESS FOR A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY.
THIS IS ALSO THIS ALSO REQUIRES THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS APPROVAL.
HOWEVER, A MANIFESTATION DETERMINATION REVIEW MUST BE HELD TO DETERMINE IF THE BEHAVIOR IS RELATED TO THE STUDENT'S DISABILITY AND IF THE DISTRICT IMPLEMENTED THE STUDENT'S 504 PLAN OR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN WITH FIDELITY.
SO WHEN I HEAR CASES WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, I GIVE A RECOMMENDATION.
THEN THAT TEAM GOES BACK AND LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE.
THERE ARE THREE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES OF A HEARING FOR A STUDENT RETURNED TO SCHOOL WITH A BEHAVIORAL CONTRACT, ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT, 45 OR 90 DAYS OR EXPULSION. PARENTS CAN APPEAL ANY DECISION MADE BY THE HEARING OFFICER TO THE BOARD WITHIN TEN DAYS OF NOTIFICATION.
THE APPEAL PROCESS FOR ANY DECISION MADE BY THE HEARING OFFICER IS AS FOLLOWS.
THE PARENT AND OR GUARDIAN MAKES A REQUEST FOR APPEAL IN WRITING.
THE PARENT IS REMINDED OF THE BOARD OF APPEAL THE DAY BEFORE THE APPEAL.
THE APPEAL IS HELD HEARD BY THE BOARD AND THE PARENT IS NOTIFIED OF THE RESULTS OF THE FOLLOWING DAY BY THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT. NOW WELL HAVE YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, JUST IF WE GO BACK.
ONE SLIDE. MISS BRAXTON, I THINK WE'VE ANSWERED THIS QUESTION BEFORE.
IS THE ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT FOR 45 OR 90 DAYS IS THAT IN POLICY OR THE CODE OF CONDUCT AS FAR AS IT CAN'T VARY FROM THAT OR? THAT'S THE DIRECTIVE WAS GIVEN 45 OR 90 OPTIONS.
BUT THAT'S NOT HARD CODED INTO THE INTO A PROCEDURE OR CODE OF CONDUCT OR.
IT'S NOT IN OUR CODE OF CONDUCT.
OKAY. NOW WE HAVE DR. MURPHY [INAUDIBLE] SOME DATA.
GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN. I DID WANT TO DRIVE HOME THE POINT A LITTLE BIT WITH A COUPLE OF CHARTS HERE ABOUT THE ACTUAL VOLUME OF INCIDENCES AND REFERRALS WE'RE GETTING IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR. SO ACCORDING TO OUR STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM AND THIS WAS CORRECTED FOR NONVIOLENT OFFENSES, BASICALLY TARDIES AND SOME THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, LAST YEAR WE HAD 25,463 REFERRALS KEYED INTO OUR SYSTEM AS OF MAY 20TH EXCUSE ME, APRIL 27TH, THAT AS OF DATE OF THIS CHART, IT WAS 22,572.
SO AS YOU CAN LOOK, WE'RE ACTUALLY ON POINT TO EITHER MEET OR EVEN EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF REFERRALS THAT WERE THAT DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS THAT WERE SENT TO THE OFFICE THIS SCHOOL YEAR ALONE. SO WE'RE JUST SLIGHTLY UNDER THAT, BUT WE HAVE SEVEN, SIX AND A HALF WEEKS LEFT OF SCHOOL.
NOW COMPARE THAT TO THE HEARINGS AS WELL AS THE THE HEARINGS AND THE RATIFICATIONS OF EXPULSION.
NOW, THIS YEAR, AS OF APRIL 27TH, WE'VE ALREADY HAD 448 HEARINGS AND WE'VE HAD 88 STUDENTS.
[01:15:06]
SO JUST SIX LESS THAN LAST YEAR.AND WE STILL HAVE SEVEN WEEKS OF SCHOOL LEFT.
AND SO THAT'S 30 TIMES IN A WEEK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO POSSIBLY END SOMEONE'S EDUCATION.
THAT IS A COUNTER MANDATE TO THE GRADUATION RATE.
SO HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY NEED TO RESERVE THAT FINAL EXPULSION FOR SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY JUST THE STUDENT CANNOT BE SAVED BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE BEEN ENJOYING A 90% GRADUATION RATE AND WE CANNOT CONTINUE WITH THIS LEVEL OF EXPULSION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE BROUGHT THAT OUT AS WE GO THROUGH.
BUT OF COURSE, SOME ITEMS, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT DISCRETION.
IF THEY BRING A FIREARM TO SCHOOL, THERE IS NO DISCRETION.
YOU KNOW, IF THEY ASSAULT SOMEONE, THEY HAVE A VICTIM.
IF THERE IS SOME TYPE OF FORCIBLE ASSAULT OR RAPE, THERE IS NO DISCRETION.
BRADLEY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS SLIDE 309 PEOPLE WERE RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION.
YES, SIR. AND OF THAT 309, WE ONLY EXPELLED 94.
WELL, LAST YEAR OR 448 THIS YEAR.
88? YEAH, I WOULDN'T SAY ONLY I WOULD SAY THAT'S A LOT.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEM BACK TO SCHOOL OR THE OPTION TO SEND THEM TO.
SO I MEAN, I'M HEARING YOUR YOUR PHILOSOPHY LOUD AND CLEAR.
HOW? CAN YOU SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHY THAT IS? WHAT CHANGES IF SOMEBODY IF A PRINCIPAL THINKS IT'S BAD ENOUGH TO RECOMMEND FOR EXPULSION AND ONLY 88 OF THEM GET EXPELLED? WHAT'S CHANGED TO JUSTIFY NOT FOLLOWING THAT RECOMMENDATION.
IT MAY BE A NOMENCLATURE ISSUE.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THEM FOR A DISTRICT LEVEL HEARING, A REVIEW OF WHAT WAS DONE.
SO THE PRINCIPAL ON THE DOCUMENTATION IS GOING TO SAY YOU'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR AN EXPULSION HEARING, BUT THAT PRINCIPAL COULD JUST VERY WELL WANT THAT CHILD TO BE RETURNED ON PROBATION OR VERY WELL WANT THAT CHILD TO GO TO THE CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE [INAUDIBLE] SEAL, LET ME SAY THAT.
ALL RIGHT? AND SO WHEN THEY RETURN, I WANT HIM TO RETURN.
BUT I KNOW I'VE HAD EXHAUSTIVE CONVERSATIONS.
I'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH GUIDANCE.
I'VE BROUGHT PARENTS IN. I'VE BROUGHT PASTORS IN.
I'VE HAD STUDENTS GO TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, COME BACK.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE THERE, DR.
THE REASON FOR THAT WAS? THE MINIMUM OF 45 IS JUST BECAUSE OF THE ACADEMICS.
I MEAN, BOTTOM LINE, IT'S VERY DISRUPTIVE TO SEND THEM FROM ONE SCHOOL TO THE NEXT.
SO AT THAT POINT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE TO TO TO ACCLIMATIZE TO THE STRUCTURE, TO LEARN WHAT THE SEAL, WHAT SEAL IS TRYING TO DO FOR THEM, AND THEN MAYBE MAKE SOME CORRECTIONS, REFLECT ON THAT BEHAVIOR.
SO WE'VE DETERMINED THAT 45 DAYS IS THE MINIMUM JUST BECAUSE OF THE NINE WEEKS.
IF ANYTHING ELSE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT DISRUPTING THE EDUCATION PROCESS.
IT'S NOT WORTH SENDING THAT CHILD TO A HEARING, SENDING THEM OUT, DISRUPTING SCHOOL.
SO WE TRY TO DO IT AT THE NINE WEEKS OR AT THE CHANGE OF THE SEMESTER.
[01:20:02]
MR. SILAS. I THOUGHT I HEARD EARLIER THAT THERE WERE TWO.WELL, I THINK THE SLIDE WAS SAYING THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES.
THAT PRINCIPAL CAN'T PLACE THEM ON HIS OWN.
IT'S GOT TO GO FIRST THROUGH THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.
AND THEN I THOUGHT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS IF HE OR SHE AGREED WITH THAT DECISION.
IT WOULD THEN GO TO THE HEARING OFFICER.
EVEN THOUGH WE FULLY EXPECT IT TO BE ALTERNATIVE, IT JUST SEEMS A LITTLE, RIGHT.
AND SOME DISTRICTS IT'S CALLED A DUE PROCESS HEARING, RIGHT? AND SO HERE WE CALL THEM EXPULSION HEARINGS.
WE COULD VERY EASILY CHANGE THE NOMENCLATURE TO RECOMMEND FOR A DUE PROCESS HEARING.
BUT ONE OF THE POTENTIAL OUTCOMES OF A DUE PROCESS HEARING IS EXPULSION.
SO HERE IT'S AN EXPULSION LEVEL HEARING.
THE NOMENCLATURE VARIES SLIGHTLY THROUGHOUT THE STATE, BUT IT'S ALL THE SAME.
IT'S A HEARING TO ENSURE DUE PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED.
DID THE KID DID THE STUDENT GET NOTIFICATION OF THE HEARING? DID THE STUDENT GET NOTIFICATION OF THE CHARGES AGAINST THEM? HAVE THEY SEEN THE EVIDENCE AGAINST THEM? SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE POTENTIALLY ENDING SOMEONE'S EDUCATION, YOU'VE GOT TO YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL THIS STUFF SQUARED AWAY.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE ATTORNEYS AND SEVERAL TIMES WE WILL HAVE AN ATTORNEY COME TO A HEARING.
SO THIS IS THE VERY FIRST THING THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS CHECK THE DUE PROCESS.
SO WE TREAT EVERY HEARING AS IF IT WILL GO BEFORE AN ATTORNEY, BEFORE A JUDGE.
WE WANT TO TREAT THEM ALL THE EXACT SAME.
YOU HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE COULD BE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO GO TO A HEARING BEFORE A HEARING OFFICER, JUST AS A MATTER OF YOU MAY HAVE A STUDENT THAT MIGHT TAKE TO THAT DISCUSSION.
RIGHT. AND IT MAY ONLY BE A HANDFUL AND NOT WORTH DISCUSSING, BUT WE'VE DISCUSSED SOMETIME AMONGST US AND I GUESS HALLWAY TALK MORE THAN ANYTHING, HOW CAN WE UTILIZE OUR AREA COUNCILS A LITTLE MORE? SOME ARE MORE ACTIVE THAN OTHERS.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MAKING DISCIPLINED DECISIONS.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT GOING BACK TO THAT.
BUT I THINK POLICY ALLOWS FOR A PRINCIPAL TO UTILIZE AN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE ENCOURAGED TO DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ENOUGH OPPORTUNITY.
IF THAT MIGHT, YOU KNOW, ALTER THEIR BEHAVIOR.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO LEAN ON IF POLICIES ALREADY IN PLACE OR NOT.
DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORTH IT, JUST A COMMENT FOR CONSIDERATION.
I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT FOR LEVEL THREE TYPE INFRACTIONS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE ILLUSION THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT OUTCOME IF YOU BOUGHT A PISTOL TO SCHOOL, WE KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE.
BUT IF IT'S AN ACCUMULATION, THIS IS A KID THAT'S HABITUALLY TRUANT.
THIS IS A KID WHO'S EVENTUALLY GETTING WROTE UP FOR LACK OF MATERIALS OR SOME OTHER THINGS.
THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD THINK ABOUT SOME WRAPAROUND.
THIS IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT THAT WANT TO HELP.
CERTAIN AREA COUNCILS ARE FAR MORE ACTIVE THAN OTHERS.
THEY ARE ONLY LOOKING AT THE PACKETS AND THE DUE PROCESS CHECKLISTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS TO THE HEARING OFFICER IN A TIMELY FASHION? YES, IN SOME INSTANCES, LET'S SAY IF THE CHARGE MAY NOT BE ACCURATE.
SO MAYBE THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN READ THAT AND SAY, WELL, HEY, LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION.
[01:25:04]
YOU KNOW, LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE WRITING THIS UP AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DRUG, LET'S SAY IF IT WAS DRUG DRUG POSSESSION VERSUS SELLING OF DRUGS, DISPERSAL OF DRUGS. ALL RIGHT.DISTRIBUTIONS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY.
AND SO SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE PRINCIPAL WAS THINKING ONE WAY.
AND THEN WHEN YOU READ THE CASE, WHAT'S OBJECTIVELY PUT BEFORE HIM, THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT MAY OR HER MAY MAKE A DIFFERENT JUDGMENT CALL AND SAY, HEY, LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION. BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DETERMINE THE OUTCOME OF THE HEARING.
THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DETERMINE THE VERACITY OF THE PACKET.
YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE ACTUALLY INVOLVED TO THAT EXTENT, WHICH IS GOOD CHECKS AND BALANCES.
YES. OKAY. MS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT, I GUESS, OR A REQUEST FOR A FUTURE BOARD MEETING.
I ASSUME THAT THE PRINCIPALS FROM SEAL WOULD BE HERE TONIGHT AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM.
I THINK THAT I KNOW A LOT OF PARENTS THAT COME BEFORE US HAVE A VERY NEGATIVE CONNOTATION OF SEAL, AND I FEEL LIKE IT IS UP TO US AS A DISTRICT TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THAT IS SEAL IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, AN ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT FOR DISCIPLINE AND EDUCATION UNTIL YOUR CHILD CAN BE INTEGRATED BACK INTO SCHOOL.
AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE STAFF, THE PRINCIPALS TIME TO EXPRESS THAT TO PARENTS AND AND REALLY MAKE PARENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT SEAL IS FOR THE INTENT OF SEAL.
WE AGAIN, WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATING THESE KIDS AND SEAL IS A MEANS FOR US TO DO THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
MAYBE AT A LATER DATE WE CAN HAVE THE STAFF FROM SEAL COME AND SPEAK ON THEIR OWN BEHALF AND THE REGIMEN AND DISCIPLINE THAT TAKES PLACE WHILE A STUDENT IS AT SEAL.
THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE BOARD FOR REVISIONS TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS. THESE ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED REVISIONS.
ALL REVISIONS CAN BE SEEN IN THE RED LINE VERSION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU.
AN EXAMPLE OF A SUGGESTED REVISION IS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL ONE THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
WE REMOVE THE CODE 190 CHEATING FROM LEVEL ONE TO LEVEL TWO FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THEFT 740 IS A LEVEL TWO INFRACTION STOLEN PROPERTY.
WE PUT IT AS A VALUE OF UNDER $100.
LARCENY THEFT 670 HAS A VALUE OF OVER $100.
AN EXAMPLE FROM HIGH SCHOOL REFUSAL TO OBEY A CONSEQUENCE THAT WAS ADDED WAS ISS 1 TO 3 DAYS ALONGSIDE THE OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION, 1 TO 3 DAYS.
THE FOLLOWING CHANGES WERE RECOMMENDED FOR ALL LEVELS BULLYING BEING CLEARLY DEFINED.
CELL PHONE POLICY WAS ADDED BACK TO THE PRINTED CODE OF CONDUCT.
THE SUBMISSION OF EXCUSES FOR ABSENCES.
SOME NOTABLE REVISIONS IN ALL LEVELS.
BULLYING IS NOW CLEARLY DEFINED IN THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
BULLYING IS AN ONGOING AND DELIBERATE MISUSE OF POWER IN RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH REPEATED VERBAL, PHYSICAL AND OR SOCIAL BEHAVIOR THAT INTENDS TO CAUSE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM.
THESE ACTIONS CAN CAUSE GREAT DISTRESS.
ANOTHER CHANGE WAS TO THE CODE OF THE DRESS CODE.
[01:30:08]
RELIGIOUS HEAD COVERINGS ARE DEEMED APPROPRIATE.SHIRTS AND TOPS WITH SLEEVES MUST BE THREE INCHES WIDE AT THE SHOULDER.
ANOTHER NOTABLE CHANGE WOULD BE ATTENDANCE.
ABSENCES COULD NOW BE SUBMITTED VIA EMAIL TO THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE CLERK.
THIS METHODS WOULD WOULD BE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION.
FINALLY, THE CODE OTHER SERIOUS OFFENSES 700 WAS ADDED.
THIS CODE WAS ADDED TO ADDRESS ANY SERIOUS OFFENSE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE SPECIFIC CODES FOR.
AND NOW WE'LL TAKE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
IT'S THE INCLUDES A COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY.
IS THAT CORRECT? ARE THEY INVOLVED AT ALL? THE SCHOOL AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL THEY WERE TO UTILIZE ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO GIVE THEIR INPUT.
SO EACH SCHOOL GAVE US INPUT AND WE COMPILED IT AND TOOK ALL OF THOSE IN CONSIDERATION.
OKAY. AND I WAS JUST WHEN ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE DRESS CODE CHANGES, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD PARENTS INVOLVED IN PROVIDING SOME INPUT. YES.
DOES THE DRESS CODE APPLY TO EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES? FOOTBALL GAME? BASKETBALL GAME? WHEN THEY'RE IN ATTENDANCE ARE PARTICIPATING? YEAH, I THINK I'M SPEAKING MORE OF ATTENDANCE, BUT.
BUT I DON'T GUESS A UNIFORM IS GOING TO DICTATE THAT OTHER.
SO TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, YES, IT DOES APPLY, BUT.
BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A PRETTY EGREGIOUS INFRACTION.
BUT KEEP YOUR HEAD AND EYES STRAIGHT.
WE CAN TALK FOR A LONG TIME ON THAT SUBJECT.
OKAY. MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON. I FEEL LIKE I'M STANDING ON A SOAPBOX TONIGHT AND I'M I'M ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO PARENTS AT THIS POINT.
AND I WANT TO APPEAL TO PARENTS TO HELP US TO KEEP YOUR KIDS IN SCHOOL AND IN THEIR SEATS SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE EDUCATION THAT YOU ALL ENTRUST US TO PROVIDE FOR THEM.
UM. I'M NOT GONNA WIN NO FAVORS FOR WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY.
BUT I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT DISCIPLINE STARTS AT HOME.
AND PARENTS, WE ARE PLEADING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH HAVING YOUR KIDS TO COME TO SCHOOL WITH THE MINDSET OF LEARNING, SIMPLY THAT NOT FIGHTING, NOT SHOOTING, NOT DRINKING, NOT VAPING, SIMPLY TO COME AND BE EDUCATED.
I HAD SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER, I BELIEVE BUT MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON PREVIOUSLY BROUGHT UP THE CONCERN FOR PERHAPS A LATER TIME ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS IN HOW WE MAINTAIN INSTRUCTION WHILE SOMEONE'S WAITING FOR A HEARING.
CAN ANYBODY PRESENT TALK THROUGH ONCE A ONCE A STUDENT PERHAPS GETS PAST THEIR 10 DAY SUSPENSION? HOW ARE WE PROVIDING ANY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? WELL, I CAN SPEAK TO IF IT'S A MINOR INFRACTION, WE WILL JUST BRING THE CHILD BACK TO SCHOOL.
IF IT'S AN EGREGIOUS IF IT'S A PROBLEM, IF IT'S A HUGE ISSUE, THEN THEY WON'T COME BACK TO SCHOOL.
AND THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT COMPENSATING THAT CHILD FOR THE EDUCATION THEY'VE LOST.
SO WE'LL PACKETS, YOU KNOW, YEAR WORK PACKETS COMING HOME AND TEACHERS SEND HOME ASSIGNMENTS.
[01:35:06]
IF IT'S A CHILD FOR SPECIAL NEEDS, WE HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND COMPENSATE THEM FOR THAT TIME.OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE, MISS TYLER? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION REGARDING THE DEFINITION OF BULLYING, WHERE YOU LIST WHAT BULLYING IS NOT.
THE THIRD BULLET IS RANDOM ACTS OF AGGRESSION OR INTIMIDATION.
I GUESS THE CONCEPT THAT WE WERE TRYING TO DRIVE HOME THERE IS BULLYING IS SYSTEMATIC.
AND SO ONE ACT, IF IT'S AGGRESSION, THEN WE CAN WRITE IT UP AS AN ASSAULT AND IT'S JUST AS BAD.
SO WE GET THEIR FRIENDS FALL IN AND OUT OF FRIENDSHIPS ALL THE TIME.
OR IF THEY GET AS THEY GET OLDER, THEY GO FROM ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
GIRLS DON'T HANG OUT WITH OTHER GIRLS SOMETIMES THEY SAY MY CHILD IS BEING BULLIED.
NO, IT'S THEY'RE NOT FRIENDS ANYMORE.
AND SO WE JUST WANT TO TRY TO OUTLINE THE TERM BULLYING, NOT TO LESSEN THE INFRACTION, BECAUSE THE INFRACTION, IF THEY GET ASSAULTED, THEY'RE GOING TO GET WROTE UP FOR WRITTEN UP FOR ASSAULTING.
BULLYING IS MORE OF AN AGGRAVATION, LIKE WE'LL TAKE AN INFRACTION.
BUT IT'S ALSO BEING AGGRAVATED BY THE FACT THAT THIS HAS BEEN SYSTEMATIC BULLYING.
SO THAT MAY ALSO MAKE THE CHARGE A LOT MORE STIFF.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE PUT SOME, I GUESS, SOME PARAMETERS AROUND BULLYING.
SO WE WENT TO A NATIONAL RESOURCE TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, GOOD, THIS IS A GOOD DEFINITION.
HEY, MY KID WAS BEING BULLIED.
WELL, YOUR KID CHOSE BEING A FIGHT TODAY, SO THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.
THE BULLYING MAY HAVE BEEN A PRECURSOR, BUT TODAY AND THE REASON WHY HE'S HERE IS FOR A FIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE? I DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK NOTE OF AND THIS IS NOT ALL THE DETAIL THAT I WROTE DOWN.
BUT FOR FURTHER BOARD FOLLOW UP, WHETHER THAT'S GETTING AN EXPLANATION OR TRYING TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S THERE'S ALWAYS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SUBJECTIVITY IN HOW WE APPLY THE CODE OF CONDUCT DEPENDING A FIGHTS, NOT A FIGHT, NOT A FIGHT.
I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT WAS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES.
AND WHAT ARE WE CURRENTLY DOING TO DRIVE CONSISTENCY IN WHAT WE WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING? AND WE CAN TAKE THAT THAT MATTER UP.
WE HAVE VERY WIDE OPINIONS OF CAN WE GIVE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO THE SCHOOL AND NOT HAVE SO MANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXPULSION? THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO PHRASE IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I'VE GOT MORE NOTES HERE, BUT IT'S WE NEED TO TAKE THAT.
WE HAVE A CODE OF CONDUCT REVIEW THAT CAN GET TO THOSE SPECIFICS.
FIRST READING IS NEXT WEEK, BUT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS DIRECTION IN THAT MATTER.
WE'VE GOT A VERY CLEAR CUT WITH NUMBERS THING THAT I THINK THE BOARD, DR.
BRADLEY RECOMMENDED AND WE SHOULD TAKE UP ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY IS OUR GOAL WHEN IT COMES TO DAYS OUT OF SCHOOL IN THIS PROCESS? AND DO WE HAVE THE CORRECT RESOURCING FOR TO ENABLE DUE PROCESS IN A TIMELY MANNER? WE HAD A NUMBER OF ITEMS GETTING TO THE IMPROVEMENTS IN WHAT THE BOARD SEES AND APPEALS AS FAR AS THE PACKETS AND ETCETERA.
THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION, BLESS YOU.
THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF PROBABLY HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION AROUND THIS.
IF WE SEE ANY IMPROVEMENT IN THE STANDARDIZATION OF INVESTIGATIONS.
AS WELL AS [INAUDIBLE] AS FAR AS WHAT IMPROVEMENTS DO WE NEED IN KEEPING UP WITH EDUCATION AND ASSIGNMENTS WHILE STUDENTS ARE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR CONSIDERATION? AND THEN I WOULD AGREE WITH MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSONS SUGGESTION THAT THIS IS NOT EVERYTHING I WROTE DOWN MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON BUT THE CENTER FOR INNOVATIVE LEARNING DOES HAVE A STIGMA WITH A LOT OF OUR PARENTS, AND I THINK WE
[01:40:09]
NEED TO THERE'S SOME THINGS WE COULD DO THERE AS FAR AS UNDERSTANDING WHAT KIND OF MAKING SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT KIND OF PROGRAM IS RUN OVER THERE AND THEN COMMUNICATING THAT MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.IF I'VE FORGOTTEN SOMETHING, SOMEBODY WILL REMIND ME.
AND I WILL CERTAINLY TYPE THESE UP TO THE BOARD AS FAR AS FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS AND DISTRIBUTE DISTRIBUTE IT TO YOU SO THAT WE CAN POTENTIALLY PLAN FOR EACH FUTURE MEETINGS.
AND I DO LIKE I DO LIKE MR. SILAS COMMENT ABOUT DRESS CODE AT FOOTBALL GAMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I WANT TO OFFER A THANKS TO THE STAFF HERE.
DR. MURPHY, MR. WHITE, MISS BRAXTON, ANYONE ELSE THAT WAS INVOLVED.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A FINAL COMMENT OR QUESTION? I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR.
I HOPE I'M GOING TO SAY THIS CORRECTLY.
ANYTHING. MISS BRAXTON OR MR. WHITE WOULD LIKE TO SEE US LOOK AT TO HELP IMPROVE THE SITUATION.
WE'VE ALL HEARD FROM US, BUT WE'VE NOT HEARD FROM YOU.
AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
IF YOU'RE NOT READY, YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE, THEN JUST JUST SAY.
BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS NEEDS TO BE A TWO WAY THING IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
AN ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WITH THE HEARING OFFICER WILL HELP, I GUESS, BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE HEARINGS AND MAKE THE TURNAROUND QUICKER FOR THE PARENT. THANK YOU.
IF I READ THESE CHARTS RIGHT, YOU'VE HAD 480 HEARINGS.
448 AS OF APRIL 27TH, AND I DID HOW MANY TODAY? 11, NO TODAY IS TUESDAY.
AND TOMORROW I HAVE ABOUT 6 OR 7.
AND THEN THURSDAY I HAD I HAVE SOME EVERY DAY THIS WEEK.
YEAH. I THINK YOU ALL SAID THE AVERAGE IS ABOUT 30 A WEEK.
YES. THAT'S A PRETTY HEAVY LOAD.
YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY. I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE INPUT [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH. THANK YOU, MISS BRAXTON.
THANK YOU. SO NOT HEARING ANYTHING ELSE.
I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE THE PREPARATION THAT WENT INTO IT.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
LET ME SAY ONE THING. SURE. DR.
BRADLEY, I'M ALWAYS YELLING ABOUT GIVING AUTHORITY TO PRINCIPALS TO MAKE DECISIONS AND SO FORTH.
AND I KNOW HOW THAT SOUNDS, BUT IT'S NOT INTENDED AS ANY KIND OF SLIGHT AGAINST PRINCIPALS.
I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT A TOUGH JOB AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT TO DO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT NINE PEOPLE HERE AND WE DON'T AGREE ON HOW TO DO THINGS AT WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE, WHEN IT OUGHT TO BE DONE AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL TO EXPECT IF YOU LET NINE PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE NINE VERSIONS OF THAT DECISION.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHERE THE INCONSISTENCY THAT I SCREAM ABOUT COMES FROM.
IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE INCOMPETENCE OR INABILITY TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
BUT I AM SAYING THAT IT'S HARD TO GET CONSISTENCY BETWEEN PEOPLE UNLESS THERE ARE STRICT GUIDELINES.
YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
I'LL RELAY THAT AS FAR AS JUST PEOPLE PROBABLY RUN INTO THIS IN THEIR JOBS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED LOTS OF DIFFERENT PLACES AND YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS AS A MANAGER, I ALWAYS TALK TO MY PEERS OF, YOU KNOW, THE POLICY IS THE POLICY, BUT THERE'S LATITUDE IN THE POLICY.
AND I ALWAYS MADE SURE THAT I TAUGHT MY PEERS THAT ARE WE BEING CONSISTENT? AND THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SCHOOLS.
[01:45:09]
POSSIBLE. SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.I WILL. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION AND PARTICIPATION, AND I THINK THIS HELPS WITH A COMMON UNDERSTANDING, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF OUR NEWER MEMBERS. AND I THINK IT'S GOOD PREP FOR GOING INTO THE FIRST READING OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I'M SORRY, MOVED BY MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON. IS THERE A SECOND? I HEARD DR. BRADLEY MADE A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.